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Why Climate Differs Across the US is a free printable Grade 3 to Grade 5 social studies worksheet on why climate differs across US regions, aligned to C3 Framework indicator D2.Geo.10.3-5. It prints 8 questions with an answer key on its own sheet of paper, in 25 versions that each ask different questions, so no two students in the class work from the same page. Print it from the browser or download it as a PDF — no account, no email.

Set 25 of 25 · the same problems every time you open this link.

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Set 1 has all 25 in a single PDF. All 25 sets ask different questions.

Why Climate Differs Across the US

D2.Geo.10.3-5

NameDate

Circle the best answer.

1.Why do summers stay cool along the coast near San Francisco?
  • A.The sun never shines there
  • B.A cold ocean current cools the air near the shore
  • C.The city is in the far north of Alaska
2.Why does Hawaii stay warm all year?
  • A.It is near the North Pole
  • B.It is in the tropics and surrounded by warm ocean
  • C.It is covered in ice
3.Why do the Great Plains get so many tornadoes?
  • A.The Plains are covered by thick forest
  • B.Warm, moist air from the Gulf meets cool, dry air from the north and west
  • C.Tornadoes form only near the ocean
4.Why are winters milder in Florida than in Minnesota?
  • A.Florida has taller mountains
  • B.Florida is much farther north
  • C.Florida is much closer to the equator
5.Why do cities on the eastern shores of the Great Lakes get heavy snow?
  • A.Cold air picks up moisture crossing the lakes and drops it as snow
  • B.The lakes freeze solid every summer
  • C.The lakes are saltier than the ocean
6.Why did the western Great Plains have grass but few trees before settlers came?
  • A.Too much rain drowned the trees
  • B.There was not enough rain for most trees to grow
  • C.Trees there grew too tall to count
7.Why is the Great Basin so dry?
  • A.It rains there every day
  • B.It sits right beside the Atlantic Ocean
  • C.The Sierra Nevada blocks moist air from the Pacific
8.Why are summers in the Southeast so humid?
  • A.There are no rivers or oceans nearby
  • B.Warm, moist air flows in from the Gulf of Mexico
  • C.Dry desert air blows in from Canada

LessonPrint · D2.Geo.10.3-5 · Set 25 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Why Climate Differs Across the US

Set 25. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.A cold ocean current cools the air near the shore
  2. 2.It is in the tropics and surrounded by warm ocean
  3. 3.Warm, moist air from the Gulf meets cool, dry air from the north and west
  4. 4.Florida is much closer to the equator
  5. 5.Cold air picks up moisture crossing the lakes and drops it as snow
  6. 6.There was not enough rain for most trees to grow
  7. 7.The Sierra Nevada blocks moist air from the Pacific
  8. 8.Warm, moist air flows in from the Gulf of Mexico

Last reviewed 2026-09-05. Aligned to D2.Geo.10.3-5 of the C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards.